An Example

I was at Young Women Camp this week so Bruce and Taylor held down the fort. They actually got on line with Hayden and talked back and forth through emails. It was kind of an unusual day for Hayden in the fact that he was talking to Taylor, Bruce and Jordon Duke (His good friend serving a mission in Chile) all at the same—real time. Because of the time it took for this —he did not write a regular letter this week.

I have included Hayden and Taylor's corispondance because I thought it was cute.

Elder Welch,

How are you man? Dad said your online. We've been waiting for you to e-mail back so me and him can go golfing:) I hope you don't mind, but i'm going to use your golf clubs, haha. So I just wanted to tell you how much of an example you are to me, and i sure am glad you went on this mission. It's helped me alot to decide on if i'm going and i am pretty sure i am going to go on a mission. Thanks man I love you!

Juice

Hey! You can use them! But you better get a hole in one with them to pay me back!!! hahaha And you´re darn right you´re going on a mission! Haha and don´t you be sayin ¨pretty sure¨...It is the best man! And you will never regret it! It really is the greatest!

Hayden

Haha ok! I AM going on a mission:) and i ALWAYS get hole in ones. Well ever since you've left;) so dont worry about me payin you back:) and oh me Mccabe and Ben are going to go golfing on thursday and then go riding (4 wheelers) and then see midnight showing of harry potter for my b-day on thursday:) aaand i'm going golfing four young mens on thursday:) haha LOTS O' GOLF! :) well luv you man and hope you have a great week!

Juice

Haha right on man!!! Tell ol´ Ben and McCabe I say hi and to stay outta trouble! Hahaha And you better not be kickin my butt in golf by the time I get home!!  

Hayden

Will do...will do with EVERYTHING you said. AKA I WILL be kickin your butt 20 times over:) haha ok well you probably are busy(and i wanna golf) :) haha so cya bro talk to you next week!!!

Juice

Haha alright, seeya bro. have a good day! You´re the man. thanks for everything! Love ya man. Talk to ya next week

Hayden

I am so grateful for Big Brothers and their wonderful influences....it makes my job as a mom so much easier! Hayden also told his dad that his baptisms are "ON" for today— so— somewhere in Guatemala people are being blessed by Hayden's efforts and sacrifice to bring them the happiness that the gospel brings. What a wonderful example he is to all of us.

Hayden seems to be doing well. Changes are this Monday so we should know where he is going to be for the next while. I will post his letter when he sends it. 

Carol Anne

And the fleas finally win the battle....

Hey everybody!

So, first of all, don´t worry about last week mom! Haha It is totally fine. I thought that was going to happen before I even got here last week. Idk why. So don´t worry. (He wrote at a much earlier time than usual and our letters did not get there until he had left. It made me feel so bad that he did not have any letters from us.) And Lexi wrote me two letters!!! Ha ha— so that made up for it!  

I didn´t get a chance to read your guys´s letter from last week so I'm going to print it out and read it later. But I did get the pictures! They were the best! I can´t beleive how much Avery has grown up! I miss her a ton! And it is so weird! I didn´t even really put two and two together that today was the fourth of july! It definitely does not feel like it! Idk why. But it looks like you guys are having an awesome time! The Hub! Geez what good times! Ha ha! And I´m sure the fireworks tonight are going to be the best like always. 

But anyway, This week has been pretty good. I did get to meet Presidente Watts the other day. We had our interviews with him and Hermana Watts. They are the best! I really like them a lot! And Hermana Watts reminds me of you kinda mom. And she even told me her favorite thing in the world to do is gardening just like you! Ha ha!  But yeah, they are going to be awesome! 

And so last week we did divisions and I stayed in the other elders´ house and a couple things happened...first of all, I had my first real run-in with fleas!!!! It was the worst! I didn´t even realize it untill the next morning when I took my shirt off to get into the shower and I saw all these little dark spots all over it like on the back and sides. I was like what the heck?! So I looked in the mirror and my whole back and sides were COVERED In flea bites! The spots were spots of blood from all the flea bites! And I still have them all over. All over the insides of my arms, all over my legs, everywhere! Hahaha and they still itch like crazy! Idk how he sleeps like that. And he has never said anything about having flees ever. His companion yeah, but he says he doesn´t have any. But that was the one thing. 

The second, I learned today. We went to pay our rent and the owner of the house told us that the next time we ¨have visitors¨ to let her know beforehand, because the last time they were up so late being so loud and she and the other people that live there were trying to sleep. My companion swears that it was just him and the other elder playing monopoly all night untill four in the morning, but idk if I buy that...but whatever. So everything other than that is going really well! I´m still loving it here. This change is almost over and I can´t believe it! Eight more days and I´m a fourth the way done! What the crap?! Alright, I gotta go though. I love you so much and thanks for writing always!

Love,

Elder Welch

American Idol? The Voice? No— It's a talent show in Guatemala!!! And to top it off— Hayden fills in for Simon!

Hey everybody!!!

Holy poo! This week has gone by way fast! Sorry I am writing so early, the Hermanas in the district have a meeting with the doctor later cuz they are the mission nurses so we had to come to internet early today. But anyway, this week has been really good actually. So that family, A. and everybody, we just put a date with their thirteen year old son E! So they are all four going to get baptized the same day! July 16th! And we have one more for that day for sure and we are working with another investigator for the same day because that is the last Saturday in this change. So hopefully we are going to finish this change out with six more baptisms just like last change! The ward has been helping us out so much! They are so awesome! I am going to miss them so much when I leave here. This is seriously like my second ward, next to the good old Heber 12th!  Ha ha!

So, my week, This week we did this thing for one of my converts from last change, J. He is awesome. He is an English teacher at this school here, and they were having this singing contest thing with all of the classes. It is like middle school to highschool. Each class had to pick an American song and perform it, so Julio asked us if Elder Portillo, cuz he speaks English, the Hermanas and I would go be judges for it. So we got permision and went and it was the best! First of all, it was like a fieldtrip because it is by the central plaza. Second of all, it was way cool to go see the school where J. works and meet his students. And third, I got to listen to American music all day! WITH PERMISSION! Ha ha! And they had this whole thing prepared for us with like a judges table and they gave us these like prizes and a certificate thing, and they fed us lunch, and the principal said she is going to write like this formal letter thing to President telling him thanks for letting us come and all this stuff! It was so crazy! Also, something almost just as epic happened!... This past week I finished both my body wash AND my tube of toothpaste that I brought from home! It´s amazing how long those things last when someone (Taylor) isn´t stealing them! Jk man, I miss you a ton! I miss all of you! But yeah, that was pretty epic right?

So, that´s pretty much all that happened this week. A little more exciting than usual... But everything is going amazingly! All of our investigators are awesome, and they are so happy now it´s crazy! It is the best to see. Like they all had their problems and stuff, especially the family. They didn´t have a very good relationship at the beginning like at all, any of them. And like the mom and dad didnt want to get married and all this stuff, but now they are so happy! And now they are so excited to get married and baptized as a family and prepare themselves to get married and sealed in the temple! It is way cool to see! Alright, well I better get going. I love you all so much! And I hope that everything is going well! I miss you all a ton and really think about you all the time. Thanks for everything! Gotta go! Love you so much! Can´t wait to hear from you next week! Love ya!

Con amor,

Elder Welch

Mom, 

Hey! Just a quick note for you. First, I love you a ton! Second, I am doing awesome. Don't worry. And third, If you still haven´t sent that package, just one thing that would be nice, Another pack of gold toe black socks! Haha sorry, The ones I have are still good but it would just be nice to have like three pairs more. Also, If you can find it. That waterproofing spray. You should be able to find it at like any sporting goods store. So I can spray it on my jacket. That thing is the best! IT's a lifesaver! But that stuff would be awesome! And that is great that you are going out to lunch with Lexi.  She might want to garden with you or something too. Thanks for everything! Gotta go! Love you so much!

Love,

Elder Welch

A new family of three—Teaching English—And....his last Easter package FINALLY arrived!!!

Hey everybody!

       This week actually flew by. the first week of this change went by SO slow! But now it is starting to fly. We found a new family that we are teaching and they are going to get baptized hopefully at the beginning of this next month! It is a mom, a dad and their ten year old daughter. I guess the missionaries have tried to visit them and everything for a long time but the dad would never let them and didn´t want anything to do with the church untill now.  We are giving English classes at the church every Friday and Saturday at five and all three of them have been coming to all of the classes. They have also been coming to church and everything —and the dad even gave the prayer in our gospel principals class yesterday! —it is amazing how much he has progressed. The dad's name is A., the mom´s is M. and their daughter is A. They are really doing amazing. And then we have quite a few other investigators that we are working with too— but they still need a lot of work.

        But everything is going well here. We have started doing divisions with the members of the ward, so that´s helped! We reactivated this kid in the ward and he and this other kid from the ward, his friend, have been going out with us like pretty much everyday and they´re starting to prepare for their missions now! It is way cool! Their names are D. and U. Everytime the members of the ward see them with us they are way surprised and in preisthood meeting when we ask who wants to go out with us during the week, they both raised their hands and said they both wanted to come out everyday with us. The bishop and everyone else about croaked! It is way awesome. 

But yeah, so don´t worry mom, I did get all my money situation worked out. I have been being really cheep this week though so that I can have an emergency fund and not have to worry about that happening again. So after this month, I will be back to eating normal! Woo Hoo! Haha! 

Nothing else really surprising has happened this week though. 

Oh yeah! So I swear I didn´t forget! I just forgot to write about it...HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABBY!!! and HAPPY FATHER´S DAY DAD!!! You guys are the best and I promise I didn´t forget about you! 

So if you are sending a package and have room, it would be nice to maybe have like just another three-pack of those black goldtoe socks too. But other than that I think I am doing just fine. 

Everything is going well here. I can´t beleieve we are getting to the middle of the change again! That is so crazy! I'm on my way for the six month mark! How crazy is that?! Before you know it I´m going to be sitting here wishing I had longer! 

But alright, my time is just about up again. Sorry those pictures didn´t come through! I used my cord to connect my camera straight to the computer and it was kinda funky so maybe that´s what was wrong. I will see if I can borrow Elder P´s card reader next week. Oh and speaking of cords! That cord doesn´t work for that MP3 player! So idk if you want me to send the MP3 player back to you guys cuz I´m going to send a package back here soon or idk what? so just let me know what I should do. 

And I can't remember how much I have in my savings account still with Zions so could you check on that for me too? But alright I better go. I love you guys so much and I miss ya always! Oh! I got the package with the  perfect push ups! Haha—(Note from Carol Anne: We sent this package clear back at Easter time with three other packages and it never arrived. I had given up on it ever getting there. I think the timing was right and it was held for a reason. I think he needed a package last week  I sent one knowing it was not going to get there for several weeks. Funny how things work out like that. Huh? I wonder who really is in charge of things. Ha ha! —as Hayden would say!) But that´s like All I've gotten in like a month or so, I can´t remember if you had something else on the way but if you did idk...I hope it didn´t get lost! 

But alright, I can´t wait to hear from you all next week! I love you all a ton! Thank you so much for everything and thank you so much for always writing! It really is my favorite to hear from you all. You guys are the best. Until next week!

Love,

Elder Welch

P.S. Mom, Elder _________ went home! (Note from Carol Anne: I will not post his name on the blog --but he was one of Hayden's friends in the mission.)   He got real sick and they couldn´t figure out what was wrong with him so they sent him home with honors. But he told me that he is going to try and either return or fill out his papers again or something. But —That was the worst! That made me way sad. He was way sad! Love you!!!

Rally!

Hey Guys—Family and Friends out there reading this blog. I can tell Hade needs a shot in the arm—Just a little boost.....Write him, send him a package or just keep him in your prayers! This is an official call to rally the troups! Thanks for all that you do to support him.

CA

My new companion is from right here in Guatemala City!! That would be pretty crappy huh?

Hey everybody!

So — finally here are some pictures!I hope they got to you. Holy crud this computer is slow! 

But the first two are of a dinner that la Familia Jimenez made for us. Hermana J. made dobladas because Elder N. was leaving and they were way good! the others are of our baptisms. The one is of la Familia P. and J. T.. He´s the one in the front and I have no idea what the heck he was doing in that picture! haha and the other is of Hermana C. and her family. They all are so awesome and are all doing so well! I gave everyone in the P, family those HLJ rings as presents after their baptism and they love them! Thanks mom! You´re the best! (Note from Carol Anne: I may be the best but I could not get the photographs to work. Maybe next week.)

So first of all. I have not even heard anything about an earthquake, so don´t worry. (Note from Carol Anne: There was a small earthquake (3.8) off the shore of Guatemala last week. I wondered if he felt anything from it in Guatemala City.)  I'm ok. 

Second of all, my companion is Elder P. He´s alright —I just need to get to know him better and it is just that I miss Elder N! Haha! But really he´s alright—Elder N. and I were just real good freinds. Elder P. is from here in Guatemala City. He lives like a half-hour away in the South Mission. Pretty crappy huh? But yeah, my goal is still to end the month with ten baptisms, but we have had to move alot of our dates back. Idk...It´s kinda bad cuz as the junior companion, there´s not really much I can do. But I´m sure everything will turn out alright. He´s a good guy. We just need to work on some things...Ha ha! But it's so good to hear from all you guys and how well you are doing!  I´ve been thinking about dinners in the backyard and ping-pong and everything a ton lately! It must be spring huh? I definitely miss it though! Alright, sorry, I don't have any more time because of those darn pictures so I better go but everything is awesome here! I´m still loving the mish! I still see Elder D. all the time. Geez—I love that guy! Ha ha and I can't remember if I told you this or not, but he told me he is going to do all that he possibly can to get the new president to let us be companions for his last change! That would be so tight! Oh and mom idk, I´m definitely going to miss Presidente Torres. I really like him and Hermana Torres, but I´m sure that Presidente Watts will be awesome too. And that would be awesome if you guys went to see them! Idk if they would remember me or anything. I would hope so, but they have a lot of missionaries to take care of! But alright, I best be off. I love you all so much and thank you for all your support and everything! You guys are the best! Love you! Untill next week!

Love,

Elder Welch

Hayden is having great success!!!

Sister Torres just up-dated her blog with news about Hayden's zone....The photos and information are courtesy of her blog. Thank you Sis. Torres!

Carol Anne

http://torreszion.blogspot.com/2011/06/twice-victory-for-las-victorias-zone.html

Las Victorias means victories. This is what has happened to the Zone with this name. They baptised twice in a row their goal and then some. The stake goal was to baptise 12 people a month and they baptized 16 two months in a row. To celebrate, the Stake Presidency gave the missionaries a catered luncheon to show their appreciation. Congratulations!!! The Vicotry is for our Savior and King.